


All The Way

by maleficent7



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: F/M, Feels, I'm Bad At Tagging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-08 13:10:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13458942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maleficent7/pseuds/maleficent7
Summary: My version of what happened in the movie, plus all the scenes I imagined they cut that explained the relationship between Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor :)





	1. Jedha - I

**Author's Note:**

> I loved Rogue One and I loved it's ending. I didn't feel the need to change the ending (at least not this time), but I did feel that Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor's story was not told in full in the movie. I patched up so many of the scene gaps in my mind that I eventually had to exorcise them onto "paper" or I was never going to sleep again.
> 
> Inevitably I had to include some scenes from the movies to keep the flow going, but extended them to give more detail. I may have just made up some of the movie dialogue where I got lazy, but it's mostly accurate. Don't shoot me for inaccuracies!
> 
> I've written fanfic on and off since I was a kid, but I've never published anything before and I've never even written any romantic scenes before. This is my first time, pretty please be nice :).

He didn't know what to make of Jyn Erso for some time. She had slunk onto his ship, talking her way into him allowing her to keep a weapon despite him knowing her rap sheet, and had remain largely quiet and unreadable since. It bothered him that he couldn't quite place her - in his line of work, he considered quick character appraisal to be one of his core skills. He knew her background of course, what little his team had been able to scrounge up, mostly obvious information of public record (or at least, readily hackable record). Her father, her upbringing with the Partisans, years of petty crime and aimless wandering, and then a pile of Imperial charges for which she'd ended up in the prison they had broken her out of. None of which told him anything about who he was sharing a 18 hour hyperspace trip with to a godforsaken planet in a war zone to find a guerrilla warlord. And she didn't deign to enlighten him either, not uttering a word since they had taken off.

It made Cassian Andor, Rebel intelligence agent and assassin, rather uncomfortable. But she seemed far too absorbed in her own thoughts to shoot him in the back, so that was something. K2-SO continued to slip references whenever he could about Jyn keeping her blaster but that seemed more out of jealousy then actual concern she would use it, or the droid would have been more forceful about removing it from her (Cassian hadn't realised how serious a point of contention not having a weapon was for the droid - that was interesting).

Eventually, having dismissed her as not a threat to either himself or Kaytoo, Cassian focused on the mission at hand as he sat in the pilot seat, automatically going through routine status checks. Go to Jedha. Find the Imperial pilot, ask him where Galen Erso is. Find Erso. Kill him. Straightforward as far as missions go, morally easy to deal with given Erso was the Imperial architect of the planet killing machine (it really didn't get much more morally justifiable than that). Slightly more complicated with Erso's daughter in his company.

He snuck a look back at her. She had fallen asleep now, her head leaning against the back wall of the small ship, her hair coming out of her bun a bit to fall over her face. She still had one hand on her stolen blaster and Cassian could have sworn she literally had one eye half open. A habit not readily shaken from prison, most likely. He turned back to his console with a sigh. The last bit of the mission might prove more complicated then he'd hoped, particularly since he couldn't tell Kaytoo about it. That damn droid would let that slip in two minutes to the girl and then he would have a morally dubious decision to make.

_And it wouldn't be the first, would it? Far from it._

Cassian didn't know when he grew a conscience, but it was proving to be tiring. His recent execution of Tivik was weighing heavily on him. He'd had too many drinks back on base after that to try and reason and forget about that. It didn't work, it never did. Not with Tivik, and Bon Favo and Kilin Tox and R'thack or any of the countless others. And now he was on another mission and he was hoping to the Force that it was straightforward and he didn't have to kill any innocent bystanders - hence Kaytoo simply could not know about his orders regarding the elder Erso.

He'd had no orders regarding Jyn Erso after the mission was accomplished. No one had thought ahead that far, and even if they got there, Jyn was so insignificant to what might happen next that no one had cared to actually think about what should happen to her. He took that to mean it was entirely up to him. If she was lucky, that would mean being dropped off on a world somewhere where she could start a new life with a new identity. He had no bad feeling towards her - he'd try to aim for that ending.

_Keep it simple. Deal with her later. The less she knows the better for both of us._

 

* * *

 

"Cassian. Cassian, wake up."

It was only Kaytoo, but Cassian still woke with a start. The black domed petite head of the bulky Imperial droid stared down at him quizzically, one skeletal arm prodding him none too gently.

"What is it?" Cassian sat up, all business immediately. He'd taken advantage of the girl Jyn being asleep to catch some shut eye himself, a life of sleeping whenever he could made him an expert at recharging in short naps.

"We are running out of fuel. We don't have enough to get to Jedha," Kaytoo said, matter-of-factly.

"What - no, why? We left with more than enough," Cassian frowned, running over the stats in the console. Kaytoo was right, of course, though he still couldn't see why.

"One of the fuel lines malfunctioned as we took off and vented a lot of fuel. The self repair program took care of it but the fuel supply problem didn't come up until now that we're running low."

"We should have heard an alarm."

"It's broken. Most alarms are on this ship. I told you that could be a problem." Kaytoo tilted his head. He could not form expressions with his metal face, but Cassian could have sworn it now spelt out "I told you so". He grunted and sighed. Alliance ships were considered space worthy if they were able to get into space without killing its occupants - everything else was a bonus, including apparently, alarms.

"OK." He glanced through the starcharts on the computer, even though he knew Kaytoo probably knew the answer already. "Looks like the nearest Alliance friendly fuel stop is Ashon II. Quick stop and we continue to Jedha."

"I knew that already. I just wanted to see how long it took you to look that up. It took you 4.3 seconds."

Cassian scowled at him. The droid was in a tetchy mood. "Lay a course in for Ashon II."

"Course laid."

"Is there a problem?"

This time, both Kaytoo and Cassian abruptly turned in their seats, Cassian's hand going to his blaster by instinct. He'd almost forgotten about Jyn, so used being alone with Kaytoo he was. He took his hand away from the blaster, noting how she eyed it very warily, her own hand shifted slightly to her concealed blaster. She'd come up behind them, arms folded, green eyes sharp as a tack. He didn't know how long she'd been standing there, she was quiet as a cat. He made a mental note to check for Jyn whenever he said anything.

"A slight detour. We lost some fuel, we need to get some at Ashon II. You can get a real meal there while we wait for the clearance and fuel - it'll be the last one for a while." He tried to make it sound light, which did not come naturally to him and she seemed to sense it as she frowned.

"I see. Maybe I will. How far is it?"

"Another couple of hours. You can sleep more if you like."

"No, I've had enough." She seemed perturbed that he'd noticed her sleeping, though it he couldn't possibly have not noticed in the tiny ship space. She turned away and began pacing around the deck, seemingly absorbed in various bits of equipment. He didn't think she found any of it interesting, but at any rate she seemed even less interested in talking to him, so he left her to it and turned back to his console.

"She's not very socially engaging," Kaytoo observed, unnecessarily. "Even less than you."

Cassian closed his eyes. He was certain she'd heard the droid. He'd explained many times to the droid about talking about other people while they were still in earshot, but for whatever reason Kaytoo chose not to absorb that into his circuits.

It was going to be a long mission.

 

* * *

 

Ashon II was a small moon circling a large gas giant, Spheria. It really was nothing more than a pitstop for ships on their way to far more interesting places and there was only one base there, a small but busy hub where passengers and crew of all sorts of ships transited in and out constantly. It was also Alliance-friendly, and though Cassian and his ship were not advertising as Alliance (in fact, as a spy, Cassian rarely did anywhere), it still paid to be cautious.

After being cleared for landing and docking at one of the ports, Cassian left the fuel negotiations with the local portmaster to Kaytoo, climbing out of the cockpit to the back of the ship where Jyn was standing. He opened a small locker there, taking off his heavy jacket.

"They keep the temperature hot in the base," he explained. "Best to travel light."

She didn't move, eyeing him with an expression he couldn't read. He stared at her for a moment, trying to work out what was going through her mind. He thought back to her file and it suddenly occurred to him she was not someone that was probably used to any sort of social interaction at all, at least not the sort where someone didn't end up dead or imprisoned. Kaytoo was right, as he usually was, in his insensitive way. She was probably even worse than he was with company. Cassian suddenly felt slightly sorry for her.

"Come with me. I'm going to get something to eat. I'm sick of rations. Kaytoo will let us know when the ship is ready, could take a few hours."

He lied twice - he was neither planning to get something to eat, nor was he sick of rations. But he was going to stretch his legs and though he usually liked his time to himself, maybe she could do with a bit of company.

Jyn looked like she would refuse him for a few moments as she stared at him warily. But then she looked around the ship and at Kaytoo, and Cassian could almost hear her mind thinking "that's a better offer than in here". She nodded, moving to take off her own jacket.

Try not to feel too flattered, Cassian chuckled to himself. _I'm a better companion than Kaytoo._

 

* * *

 

The base was busy but not too much so, and Jyn found herself relaxing slightly as she followed Cassian out of the docks and into the commercial area. It had been a long time since she was in any place that didn't have her on their most wanted list, or where she wasn't planning to rob or destroy someone or something. In fact, it had to have been at least two years since she had gone anywhere "just to eat". It was weird not to have to be wary of every face on the street. But old habits still died hard and she glowered at anyone who made eye contact as they passed.

Cassian paused on what passed as the main street of the Ashon base, causing her to nearly collide into him. It was a sparse place. The base dome that kept the air breathable also did something funny to the light from the system's sun, filtering it into a ghostly glow that illuminated the pavement and cast a pall over all the figures criss-crossing it. It looked cold, but as Cassian had warned her, it was actually almost uncomfortably warm. What she was seeing and what she felt didn't match in her mind and she found it unsettling.

"Is there anything you'd like to eat?" Cassian asked her.

She gave him a withering look. "I've been on Imperial prison rations for the past 6 months."

"So, anything then." He gave a small smile, the first she'd seen him crack since she met him. "I think I know what you might like."

He led her further down the street and down a quieter alley a short way before stopping and stepping into a nondescript doorway. She hesitated outside, noting there was only one way in or out, not the sort of place she trusted. Perfect for an ambush.

Cassian turned behind him, door half open. Inside she could see the familiar sights of a cantina: bars, tables, chairs and all sorts of characters, lounging, drinking, gambling. The noise was also familiar, raucous laughter, talking and shouting. The smell of noxious liquor and smoke wafted out. He beckoned her inside.

"No one knows us here," he said. "It's quite safe."

It was irritating that he knew what her hesitation spelt. Was she that transparent? Did she trust this Rebel soldier anyway? He seemed open enough with her and his eyes showed no lies but he was a spy - he was good at deception. She'd only met him the day before.

_But what would he have to gain from that. He needs you. You're no good to him dead - yet. Keep it together, Jyn._

She regretted not staying onboard the ship with Kaytoo now. This was why she preferred to be alone. People made her uncomfortable and she was self aware enough to know her paranoid nature was mostly to blame. She couldn't turn back now though, that would be even more awkward.

"I'm sure it is," she said, finally. She kept her hands on her concealed blaster though as she followed Cassian inside.

 

* * *

 

It turned out Cassian knew exactly what she needed to eat, even when she didn't know herself. An hour after entering the cantina - Bosley's - she was finishing off the last remnants of smoked lacuaa meat off the bone, sucking down every drop of fat and marrow. She had never tasted anything so good in her life, she was absolutely certain of it. And she'd had no idea how hungry she was until the gigantic - and now empty - plate of meat had been slapped down in front of her and the smell wafted into her nose. She was one with the Force, she was sure of it.

"Oh," she finally sighed, throwing down the last bone and leaning back in her seat. "That was exactly what I wanted."

Cassian had been watching her, amused, as he ate his plate more slowly. Normally she'd find being observed irritating, but her mind was in a different plane of existence for the moment as she relaxed, so full she didn't want to move for a week.

"The lacuaa is a native species to Ashon II," he said, eating his last piece with more finesse than she did. "When the meat is smoked, it reacts with the seasoning to produce a taste I haven't encountered anywhere else. You can get it anywhere on the base, but I like it here best. I come here for it when I've been on field rations for a few months."

It was the most he'd said to her since they'd left Yavin 4. Perhaps it was her relaxed frame of mind after the meal, but for the first time she was curious about this intelligence officer the Alliance had sent after her father. He was reserved and kept to himself, that much was obvious. He had a strong accent when he spoke Basic which was not unattractive, but she couldn't pick where it was from. This wasn't surprising, given the number of worlds in the galaxy. He looked tired, like he hadn't slept in years. Tired and worn out. He had that look of a man whose eyes looked older then he should have been. She couldn't guess his age.

"How did you end up with the Rebellion?"

For a moment, a shadow passed over Cassian's face and she figured the conversation was over before it had even started. He didn't meet her eyes as he considered his response.

"I was recruited young," he finally said. "I've been in a lot of wars. I just wanted to be part of something that might end them, and I know the Rebellion is it."

"You have a lot of faith in them."

"I have to, I have no other choice." He looked like he might say more, but stopped himself, his jaw tightening visibly. He turned the conversation purposely to her instead. "And what do you have faith in? Not the Empire and not the Alliance either."

She didn't know what to say, the feeling of contentment after the meal dissipating, replaced by annoyance. Why would he ask her that?  _Well, you did start the conversation_. She didn't know the answer, at least not one she could articulate while Cassian watched her. She thought of her parents, of Saw Gerrera, of all the dead ends in her life. She just felt angry.

"Faith doesn't matter," she said, bluntly. "Not for me."

"Faith matters for everyone," Cassian countered at once. She'd hit a nerve in him, she saw. "You have to believe in something. How do you live without it?"

"Are you lecturing me on how I live my life already, Captain? I just met you yesterday," she said, trying to keep it light, deflecting from the fact that she didn't want to talk any further about the topic of faith or her lack thereof. It made her dredge up memories she didn't want to dwell on right at that moment.

Cassian leaned back with a small smile, throwing his last bone down. "I'm sorry," he conceded. "But I think you do have faith in something even if you don't know it. Otherwise you would not be here on this mission with me. That's just my observation."

She smiled back, tightly. "As I recall, Kaytoo said you didn't think having me along was a good idea."

"He did, didn't he," Cassian said, in the tone of voice that meant Kaytoo was going to get into trouble when they got back to the ship. There was an awkward silence as his face visibly showed his mind trying to think of something inoffensive to say. "I just thought the mission might be a little personal for you," he said, finally.

"Well you are not wrong," Jyn replied, dryly. "He IS my father. And you do believe he is an Imperial collaborator. So that could be interesting when we all finally meet up."

Cassian looked like he might choke on a bone. He took a huge swig of his Corellian beer. He had just been starting to ease up his flinty demeanor, she realised, but now his frown returned and he avoided her gaze again, his jaw set tight as he looked over at a dejarik game happening at the other end of the cantina. It was drawing a large crowd and getting rather rowdy.

"You said Saw Gerrera raised you. What happened with you and your father?" he finally asked.

"Can we not talk about that," Jyn said, sharply. They were just asking each other all the wrong questions. Or maybe agreeing to go on this mission was the problem to start with. She hadn't thought about Saw or her father in years, or at least did her best to actively not think about them. She could never shake the feeling of abandonment she felt from both, the sinkhole in her heart gaped open whenever she thought of them. Granted, her father didn't have a choice, but she feared what he had done since then. That was almost worse than assuming he was dead. And Saw... well. She was just angry.

Cassian looked at her quickly and softened, retreating back. "I'm sorry. Sometimes... sometimes I'm not so good at turning off the intelligence agent in me. Doesn't make for good social conversation."

He was trying to make a joke. It was a weak one, but she gave him a small smile back for effort. He looked younger when he let his guard down, she thought. Less jaded, almost handsome. She could tell he had a history too, skeletons in his closet he would not want to talk about. It was in his haunted eyes, his rare smiles, the fact that his partner was a droid and not a sentient being. The skeletons between the both of them could populate a graveyard. It had been a long time since she'd made any effort with anyone in a social setting, and in most instances she would have given up and gone back to the ship by now, but something in his face made her try. He seemed to need it more than she did.

"Let's start over," she said, offering an olive branch. "Can I ask how you met Kaytoo?"

His eyes lit up for the first time as he chuckled. "Now that is a good story."

"Finally."

She settled in to listen to him, thinking she would just have to pretend to be interested for maybe fifteen minutes before making some excuse to go back to the ship.  _Seems generous_ , she thought to herself, proudly.  _I'm making that effort. I'm being nice_. But to her surprise, Cassian proved to be an engaging storyteller and the story was an interesting one. When he finished, she was actually smiling and still sitting there. 

"I like that. I like that he tried to arrest you or kill you four times and you've chosen to keep him around."

"You'll grow to love his inappropriate honesty. Nothing gets past those circuits that he won't want to tell you about." Cassian had relaxed considerably talking about his droid partner. He was drinking his beer with pleasure rather then to fill the awkwardness.

"Is that why you kept him?"

"It's part of his charm. It was also surprisingly handy to have an Imperial droid around in a lot of... situations I find myself in. Like when we broke you out."

Cassian had almost given her an opening to ask about his past, but had deftly covered it up and changed the topic faster then she could probe it. Jyn was slightly impressed and let him have his victory. He could keep his secrets if he wanted to and she was starting to relax herself without them. She was happy to keep things light. In fact, she hadn't been this relaxed in at least six months. They sat in comfortable silence for a little bit before Cassian looked over to her, curiosity in his dark eyes.

"So.... what were you doing in there? I read the official reasons, but I sensed there was a good story between the lines."

"Now,  _that_ is a good story." 

And surprisingly, she didn't even mind telling it.


	2. Jedha - II

It took three hours for Kaytoo to finally radio in to let them know the ship had refueled and was ready for takeoff. He had radioed every hour before that too to query if they were dead and when they would be back, it was actually getting embarrassing for Cassian. By then, he and Jyn had polished off a reasonably irresponsible amount of Novanian grog and their sharp edges were well tempered. He was even starting to enjoy himself, something he couldn't quite manage drinking on his own or even with Wedge Antilles back at base. He wondered if he was drunk, but that wasn't it - he'd had a few glasses but he'd had a lot more before for it to affect him. It had been so long since his mind had not felt heavy with dark thoughts, it felt good.

Jyn could hold her alcohol too, a non-surprising consequence of the life she'd led. It must have come in handy many a time. But she had also loosened up and was smiling a lot more, even chatty. They were both wary and sober enough to avoid the thornier topics of conversation - he had managed to touch all of them, he was sure, in their initial conversation attempts - and he was surprised to find her engaging, interesting, and pleasant otherwise. They had talked more about Kaytoo, different worlds they visited, the Alliance Cabinet, Stormtroopers, funny anecdotes and experiences, but nothing too personal. The time had flown, so when Kaytoo's call came through, he was surprised to find himself slightly disappointed.

"Cassian, the ship's ready. We can go now. Are you quite finished drinking?"

The radio was loud enough for Jyn to hear and she laughed. "Your droid is really something."

"We'll be right there. Give us 10 minutes."

They both stood up from their table now filled with empty glasses. He was loath to leave, but the mission had to be his priority. They were already running behind with this little detour. Still he hesitated for a few moments, looking at this strange hot-headed girl with the cool green eyes in front of him in a new light. She really wasn't at all what he'd thought she was like when she first came onboard. Even though the time he'd spent with her was so short, he felt as comfortable with her as he did with Wedge who he'd known for years. He'd probably said things to her he wouldn't even say to Wedge. He could well sit here all night with her company and the prospect actually seemed attractive to him. Maybe he really was a little drunk.

"We should go. Kaytoo will be counting those ten minutes down," she said, with that small smile of hers that tugged on one corner of her mouth.

"Of course. It's just been a long time since I've unwinded," he said. But it felt like more than that, he just couldn't articulate it.

"Me too. It was nice."

It was too trite to thank her for her company, though he wanted to. Instead, he nodded and said nothing, holstered his blaster and led the way out of Bosley's, Jyn following close behind him.

 

* * *

 

Kaytoo watched them disapprovingly as they trooped back onto the ship. Cassian decided to preempt whatever embarrassing thing he was going to say, cornering the droid to one side as Jyn settled into the back of the ship.

"We had a few drinks. I'm fine, she's fine, I'm not drunk."

"It's not like you-"

"I'm fine," he said. "No more about it. Get the ship ready for takeoff."

"I've already done that-"

"Good, let's go."

"But-"

"Kaytoo. Let's go."

Kaytoo made an exasperated noise and threw his long arms up in the air, but he did as he was told and headed towards the cockpit and co-pilot chair. Were droids supposed to get exasperated? Sometimes Cassian thought Kaytoo had just a tad too much personality. He forced a smile over at Jyn, who had watched the exchange with amusement. The ship was too damn small.

"Hang on to something. The exit out of Ashon can get a little rocky."

They made good time out of Ashon airspace and were soon on course for Jedha again. Only six hours this time. Jyn fell asleep again in the back before they'd even left the base, this time with both eyes shut and seemingly deeply, no doubt the result of the big meal of meat and the many glasses of grog. Cassian leaned back in the pilot seat, closing his eyes for just a moment. The mission details were pulling him back down to reality, souring his good mood. He had to remind himself of the endgame.

_Her father is an Imperial collaborator. It doesn't matter who she is. It matters who he is._

It didn't make him feel any better. He was starting to dread what he had to do at the end of the mission and it was all his fault. He should never have become friendly with the target's daughter, what was he thinking? _Stupid_ _rookie mistake_. He should have moved past rookie mistakes about fifteen years ago.

His mood remained dark the rest of the trip and Kaytoo, used to Cassian in odd moods after drinking, remained uncharacteristically silent. Jyn woke a few hours later and began pacing up and down the deck again, but didn't speak to either of them, to Cassian's relief. She seemed on edge the closer they got to Jedha, which made sense given she likely hadn't had any contact with Saw Gerrera or the Partisans since they abandoned her. When Cassian snuck a look back at her, she was deep in thought, her long fingers drumming impatiently on her arm as she paced. Again he found himself feeling a little sorry for her. They had dragged her back into her past, and from her aversion to answering any questions about it, she likely wished her past would remain past.

 _Well, few of us get that luxury_ , Cassian thought somberly. There were ghosts from his past that refused to stay hidden every time he closed his eyes. One of the reasons he wasn't a fan of sleep.

They reached Jedha without further incident and Kaytoo found a clearing to land well away from Jedha City so as not to draw suspicion. Cassian guided the small ship down gracefully onto the desert rock. He was no fighter pilot but he was a decent one and they barely felt the bump as the landing struts touched rock.

"Kaytoo, power down the ship. Jyn, you'll need desert gear, get yourself some from the storage room in the back."

He waited until Jyn was out of sight before speaking to Kaytoo in a low voice. "Don't say anything sensitive in front of Jyn, OK? These were her people once, we have no idea who she knows in the group." He paused, reminding himself Kaytoo did not have the emotional circuitry to make a judgment on what was sensitive. "In fact, say nothing at all regarding anything about anyone in the Partisans in front of her."

"You think I can't be sensitive?" Kaytoo said, somewhat indignantly. "I can be sensitive."

"No, you can't," Cassian replied, dryly. "We might take a while to make contact as well in the city. I'm not sure what's happened to my contacts I used here last."

"Great. This mission sounds like a bad idea. Jyn sounds like a bad idea. Do you have any idea the odds are that we will fail?"

"Everything sounds bad to you." Cassian deliberately ignored Kaytoo's question, as he often did. He never wanted to hear the odds as they were always invariably low. "I'm going to gear up, meet us outside once you've secured the ship."

He climbed out of the cockpit area and headed back. Jyn should have been done but he hadn't see her leave so she was probably still in the storage room unless something else back there had captured her interest.

She was still in the tiny room, looking a little lost. She had the jacket, scarf and boots but was still rummaging in the boxes there, looking for what he assumed were the field goggles. The room was more of a cupboard, really, and as best as Cassian had tried to keep it tidy - well, not really, he had made no attempt at that - everything was admittedly overwhelming for someone who wasn't himself.

"The goggles are in front of you," he said, coming up behind her.

"Ah."

He thought to let her finish getting what she needed before going in himself, but he was aware of the time ticking, aware of the importance of the mission, aware of meeting Kaytoo outside - though his own decision didn't make any sense to himself when he thought about it later, he decided to get his gear while Jyn was still inside, thinking he could just reach over her head to grab it.

There wasn't enough room of course. He managed to locate some of his things on one of the higher shelves above her, but then suddenly became aware of how close they were and he froze. She was right there in front of him, not quite touching him, but close enough to feel her warmth, to feel her breathe. He involuntarily looked down at her, his arm still reaching above her head, hoping against hope she hadn't noticed anything odd.

Jyn was staring straight back up at him with her wide green eyes, surprised as he was. There was something in her face that made his heart rise and sink at the same time, something he hadn't felt in a long, long time. Despite everything she'd been through, she looked unbroken, untouched, strong. Everything he wasn't. Her face seemed illuminated by the fire in her eyes. She was close enough that he could just bend down slightly to kiss her if he wanted. He could smell a faintly floral scent from her hair. He suddenly couldn't process being so close to her, his brain felt like it would shut down. He tried to step back casually, even though he only had half his gear, but it felt - and probably looked - more like falling backwards. Her expression didn't change, her hands frozen in the midst of rummaging through one of the boxes, her cool gaze never leaving him.

"I'll - I'll let you finish up first," he managed to say, before turning back, going back to the deck and leaned against the comms console, trying to look busy. He didn't look back as he heard her troop out a few minutes later and down the ramp outside the ship.

"Cassian, you idiot," he sighed under his breath.

 

* * *

 

Jyn waited with Kaytoo outside the ship, her fingers fiddling with her scarf and goggles uneasily. She wasn't sure what had just happened in the storage room and she didn't understand why she felt so odd about it. It had been a tiny space and there wasn't enough room for both of them. Cassian left. What was so odd about that?

It was the way he'd looked at her. Something had changed in his expression, softened his eyes. Had she imagined it? And how to explain the flutter in her chest when she saw it, felt how close he was to her, close enough to see every detail of the stubble on his cheek, close enough to smell his musky scent?

It had been years since she last felt tender emotion towards anybody, not since Hadder. She hadn't even felt a remote flicker, even _thought_ about it since Hadder. Life had been too brutal, too busy for her to think about such things. It was all about survival. And a storage room on-board an Alliance ship with a Rebel intelligence agent was the absolute last place in the galaxy she'd ever expected to feel anything again.

 _You're crazy_ , she thought. _Imagining things. Captain Andor is too professional for what you think just happened._

Still, she was uneasy. She had enjoyed their time on Ashon II - she still couldn't believe they'd talked for _three hours_ \- more then she had felt comfortable with. She put it down to the fact that it had been so long for her, that she could hardly enjoy company with the opposite sex without thinking they meant more by it. She just needed space from him. She wasn't going to get it on Jedha, not for what they were about to do, but at least she'd be distracted. 

"What is keeping him," Kaytoo said, grumpily beside her. "He doesn't usually take this long."

As if on cue, Cassian emerged out of the ship. He was all business, his face betraying nothing. He didn't look at her though as he checked his blaster and adjusted his gloves.

"We'll just take a look at Jedha City before going in, on that ridge. You can't see it from here."

He didn't wait for either Kaytoo or Jyn to say yes, striding past the both of them for the ridge. Jyn felt some relief. She had probably imagined what had happened. They would complete this mission, find her father, taken him back to the Council for testimony and she would never see Captain Cassian Andor again. She had plenty of undealt-with emotion to work through just from her father that she'd been putting off to worry about anything else.

One thing at a time. She wasn't even convinced any of this - Saw, the Imperial pilot, her father being alive - was real, but if helping the Alliance meant her freedom, then so be it. She'd done more for less. 

 

* * *

 

The city was much more crowded and much more on edge than the last time Jyn had been there. The tension in the streets could be carved up with a lightsaber, it was so thick and wound up. All the denizens looked to be on the edge of erupting into violence and they were all packing heat in an obvious fashion. Stormtroopers were patrolling everywhere under the shadow of the Star Destroyer hovering above the city.

They had to stay close together to avoid being separated and avoid the patrols, Cassian shepherding her from one street to another with one hand on her arm all the way. But there was no threat of awkwardness in his touch. He was in complete intelligence agent mode and she could feel he was as tense as the streets from the almost painful grip of his hand and the tightness in his jaw as he scanned the crowd constantly. He was looking for his contacts but she could tell he was having trouble finding them. He finally found one after an hour of wandering the streets and left her to speak to him. She was straining hard to see and hear what was going on between them - trying to see if she could recognise the man, but she didn't - when she heard someone else talking. He wasn't talking loudly, but his voice stood out from the noise of the crowd somehow, as if it were in her head. He was saying something about her necklace, which instantly caught her attention.

It was a blind man sitting by a doorway, and he beckoned to her as she looked at him quizzically.

"I'm Chirrut Imwe."

"How do you know I'm wearing a necklace?" she said, guardedly, approaching him warily. There was something about him that drew her in. He didn't seem dangerous - he was blind after all - and she sensed he meant her no harm.

"You'll have to pay for that information," he chuckled.

 _That's it, he's a crack,_ she thought, feeling slightly stupid and yet still curious how he knew about her necklace. No one did and it was the only possession she had. She had not a single credit to her name and this information was not something she could steal. She was still debating how she might convince this Chirrut to tell her when she heard Cassian calling impatiently out to her. Feeling silly, she turned to walk away.

"Do you know about kyber crystals?"

She hesitated. "My father said they powered the Jedi lightsabers."

"Jyn! We have to go!"

She turned to go, though her mind lingered on the kyber crystals and her fingers involuntarily went to her necklace. Was it kyber? Was that what Chirrut was alluding to?

"The strongest stars have hearts made of kyber," Chirrut's voice floated behind her, and in her head. She frowned at the effect.

"We're not here to make friends," Cassian said, impatiently in her ear. He seemed even more tense than before. "We need to hurry, the city's about to blow."

It brought her back to reality, much as it annoyed her. She could feel the tension in the air thicken even further and knew Cassian was right. They didn't have a lot of time, certainly none for entertaining the local crazies.

They pressed on.

 

* * *

 

The city blew up even faster than Cassian expected, almost literally. In what felt like no time at all, they were running from the chaos that was the rebels attacking an Imperial convoy. Jyn was proving to be completely unpredictable, much as Draven had warned him about. When she ignored him to rush in to save a little girl from another blast, he was perplexed. Who was Jyn? Granted, he would have done the same had he seen the little girl earlier, but much as he was starting to warm up to Jyn, he hadn't expected heroics from her.

Thinking about Jyn almost made him miss the rebel at the roof preparing to throw another grenade at the tank Jyn was taking shelter behind. Without even thinking - and he _really_ should have thought twice - he shot the rebel before he could throw it. He grimaced. That was going to come back to bite him, he was sure of it, but there wasn't any time to think.

They ran down another alley, just trying to get away from the chaos. Nothing was on them yet, if they could just get away and blend in with a crowd somewhere, they could probably walk away, at least Cassian hoped. Getting caught by the Imperials was _not_ part of the plan.

They were cornered at the entrance of another alleyway by another stormtrooper patrol, Cassian and Jyn taking shelter from the blaster shots on either side of the entrance.

"Cassian," Jyn called to him. He looked over at her and the look she gave him was all steel and determination. She flicked her hand and a baton extended - where had she even got that? - and he realised what she was about to do, but she was faster than he could even warn her not to do it.

His heart sank as she turned to take down the closest stormtrooper with a painful backhand blow to his head, trying to get a clear shot with his blaster to help her... and then realised Jyn was doing absolutely fine on her own. He lowered his blaster, so impressed he was actually smiling. She had taken them all down with a baton and her blaster, almost even Kaytoo who had suddenly emerged out of nowhere. He had suspected she could fight, but he was still impressed and regarded her with newfound respect. She looked like a goddess as she glanced back at him, panting with adrenalin, her hair all over her face, and smiled slightly back.

 _You are in trouble_ , he thought, wearily. _So much trouble_.

"Let's go," he said. Now they were going to be in a world of trouble and he wasn't sure how they were going to get to the rebels now. They picked another alley to run to and immediately made the wrong choice as they ran into another patrol, but Kaytoo stepped up to play their captor.

"These are my prisoners," he said, impetuously to the head of the patrol. Cassian inwardly sighed. Kaytoo looked the part, but he was an absolutely terrible actor and he was sure the stormtrooper didn't believe him.

He didn't. Not even when Kaytoo gave Cassian a frankly painful backhand to his face to try and prove a point. He didn't know whether to be mad or laugh, but he did know he was going to have a word - maybe even a circuit tweak - with Kaytoo later.

Things happened quickly after that, so quickly even Cassian had trouble keeping up. Just as the stormtrooper tried to take custody of he and Jyn from Kaytoo, the blind monk Jyn had been speaking to showed up, and suddenly he was able to fight as well, like a _Jedi_ , taking down this set of stormtroopers. He was helped along by a huge hulking friend of his with a back mounted hand held _repeater cannon_ of all things.

_What the hell is going on?_

And then the rebels showed up and Cassian knew at once he was about to pay for shooting down that rebel to save Jyn. He knew it was going to come back and bite him and he wasn't even sorry as they trussed him up like a lacuua and hooded him.

 

* * *

 

Cassian prided himself on never being captured, not once in his illustrious career as a spy/assassin/resistance fighter. He'd never known the inside of any kind of prison, so this was a new and unpleasant reality. Gerrara's cell was rough and small, hewn into the rock with a heavy gate at the entrance. The blind monk - Chirrut - and his companion - Baze Malbus - were stuck in there with him, though they seemed to be in much higher spirits than he was.

"We've been in worse cages than this one," Chirrut chuckled, relaxing at the back of the cell.

"I haven't," Cassian grumbled. He'd taken up position by the gate, looking for an opportunity to try and tweak the lock circuitry, but it was busy outside. Of all things, a low tech dejarik game was happening right in front of their cell. He hadn't seen where they'd taken Jyn, but he wasn't too worried yet. If Gerrara had indeed raised her as a child, he doubted she would be harmed.

"I sense you carry your prison wherever you go, Captain," Chirrut said, slyly. Cassian turned sharply back at the monk but the monk was irritatingly silent on details as if he wanted Cassian to ask.

 _I'm not giving him the satisfaction_. Cassian grunted as he turned back to the dejarik game. What did the old man know. His targets and innocent collateral damage - now all dead - flashed by his eyes again, as if taunting him.  _You know what he means. The question is how does he know what he means._ He had to wonder about the monk. He wasn't Jedi, but he was supernaturally, annoyingly perceptive and he fought much like how Cassian imagined a Jedi would fight, even though he was  _blind_. And he kept praying to the Force. He was either completely crazy or... or what?

A deep laugh came from the other side of the cell at Chirrut's response. Baze. And what was  _his_ story? What little Cassian knew of the Guardians of the Whills did  _not_ involve the guardians being armed with heavy repeater cannons. That had definitely been left off the brief.

"Who's in the other cell?" Chirrut said, suddenly. Baze leaned over to peer through an opening in the wall to the next cell.

"Looks like an Imperial pilot," he grunted, suddenly lurching forward to thrust his arm through the opening, surely to choke the poor pilot to death.

"No, wait, back off," Cassian shouted, stumbling over to pull at the big guardian. It was like pulling a brick wall, but Baze voluntarily backed down at the panicked tone in Cassian's voice. "Back off!"

Cassian thrust his head at the opening. A lone figure in a dusty torn Imperial uniform sat there staring into space, oblivious to the commotion above him.

"Hey. Hey, are you the shuttle pilot?"

The man didn't stir. He was thin, his pallor was terrible, his hair hung limply tied back. Cassian wondered if he was deaf or stupid.

"What's wrong with him," Chirrut said from behind. It wasn't really a question, more of a statement. Cassian frowned. There certainly seemed to be something unusual about the way the man stared off into space at nothing in particular.

"Galen Erso. Do you know that name?" Normally Cassian wouldn't give away his objective so quickly, but he desperately needed to know. This was his mission objective possibly sitting right in front of him.

The man stirred slightly at the name. His eyes focused a bit as if returning to the present and he looked up at Cassian.

"I brought the message. I... I am the pilot."

"Yes," Cassian said, with relief. "Do you know where he is?"

His eyes were focusing in and out, staring at some point off Cassian's shoulder and then back at him, repeatedly. Frustrated, Cassian banged on the bars of the opening, the sharp sound refocusing the pilot.

"Stay with me! Do you know where Galen Erso is?"

"I... I... I'm the pilot." The man grimaced as if in pain, though no outward signs of damage could be seen on his body. "I... I have brought the message."

"You told me that already. Where is Erso?"

Cassian was losing patience and was on the cusp of grabbing the man and choking him himself when there was sudden clarity on his face and his eyes settled on Cassian. "Eadu. I left him on Eadu. They... they are doing all their research there."

"Eadu. Good. Bad." Eadu was an Imperial planet and heavily guarded. It was going to be tricky to get in. Cassian thought quickly. "You still have Imperial codes?"

"Codes. Y-yes. I imagine... I imagine they would still work."

"OK." The pilot was now part of the escape plan Cassian was forming in his mind. But the poor man was obviously two lobes short of a fully functional brain, veering off onto a complete tangent.

"Galen. He... he had a daughter. He spoke of her... often." The man took a deep breath. "Are you... are you Alliance? Is she.. is she... is she alive? I promised him... promised I would find out."

Cassian stared at him.  _Why? Why at this moment do you have to bring her up?_

"You'll meet her," he finally said, shortly. "I am with the Alliance. Just sit tight."

He left the opening, falling back into his former position by the door. He felt Chirrut's eyes boring into his back but he deliberately ignored him. It was more imperative than ever to find a moment to get out of the cell, but the dejarik game just seemed to draw more and more spectators. He had the pilot, he had Erso's location. The first mission objective was completed.

 _You don't need Jyn anymore._   _You can leave without her._

Cassian had done worse in his time. He had done so much he was ashamed of and couldn't bear thinking about. It was the easy way out to leave Jyn here, Gerrera wouldn't hurt her, she'd still be alive. Angry, but alive. That was better than most people that Cassian crossed paths with on his missions.

But to his surprise, he couldn't do it. Perhaps she'd still be useful when contacting the elder Erso, he reasoned. She'd be a way in. It was a weak argument against leaving her in Jedha, but it was something.

"I sense your cage is being rattled, Captain," a bemused voice floated up from behind him. Chirrut. Cassian ignored him.

Then the earthquake started and Cassian's decision was made. He wasn't leaving without her.


	3. Eadu

They had escaped Jedha literally by the back plate armour of their ship, having lost that somewhere around twenty-three seconds into their desperate flight from the moon's surface. The entire Jedha City was gone, obliterated from the surface and then some. They caught a glimpse of the massive culprit on their way out, a moon sized weapon in all its glory hovering over Jedha like a vengeful god. Cassian didn't linger to have a look, pushing them straight to lightspeed.

The ship was silent as he sent Alliance headquarters an encrypted message to give General Draven an update, even though there were now twice as many occupants as when he started out. Chirrut and Baze seemed stunned - well, Baze more than Chirrut, who looked as implacable as ever - and the Imperial pilot had a permanently stoned expression about him as he stared off into the distance. Jyn sat in the middle of the deck, deep in thought. She'd been quiet since he'd gone back for her. He'd have to ask her what she and Gerrera had spoken about, later.

But first, Draven.

_Jedha City destroyed. Weapon confirmed. Erso at Eadu. Request confirmation of orders._

He secretly hoped the orders would change, but was unsurprised when they didn't.

_Orders stand, no extraction. Proceed to Eadu with caution._

He threw down his headset in frustration. He knew nothing had really changed in terms of the intelligence they had. It still made perfect sense to take Galen Erso out, and seeing the destructive power of the planet killer in person, Cassian had to agree. But his heart sank as he glance over at Jyn. How was he going to do this? And why had things changed? He'd only spent a small amount of time with Jyn, how could that be colouring his mission objective?

Jyn was talking to the pilot, Bodhi Rook, and Cassian caught the tail end of their conversation that he wished he hadn't heard.

"Your father said I could get right by myself. I could make it right if I was brave enough to listen to what was in my heart, do something about it."

He sighed, inwardly. To be honest, he didn't understand the elder Erso's motivations. He was the architect of this planet killer, and yet he'd sent this Bodhi to warn them about it. Whose side was he on?

"You're wrong about my father," Jyn said, looking at Cassian directly with her searing gaze, getting up.

"He did build it," Cassian said, tiredly.

"Because he knew they would build it anyway. He made a choice. He sacrificed himself for the Rebellion. He's rigged a trap inside it. That's why he sent you to bring the message," she nodded over at Bodhi.

A flicker of hope burned in his chest. "Where's the message?"

Jyn's face dropped. "It was a hologram."

"You have that message, right?"

She shook her head, slumping back. "Everything happened so fast."

He glanced at Bodhi. "Did you see it?" The pilot shook his head sadly.

"You don't believe me?" Jyn accused him.

That wasn't the problem. If Jyn was lying, she was a better liar then Cassian had ever encountered, but without proof he couldn't change his orders. Draven would never be convinced on something this important simply based on Cassian's word. Neither would the Cabinet. The way she was glaring at him was causing him actual pain.

"I'm not the one you've got to convince," he said, in a low voice.

"I believe her," said Chirrut. Everyone ignored him.

"What kind of trap?" Baze spoke up. "You said your father made a trap."

"The reactor. He said if you can blow the reactor- the module- the whole system goes down" Jyn rounded on Cassian again. "You need to send word to the Alliance."

Cassian had never felt more tired or defeated in his entire life. "I have."

"They have to know there's a way to destroy this thing. They have to go to Scarif to get the plans"

"I can't transmit that kind of information! We're in the heart of Imperial territory!"

 _Also, no one is going to believe you_. Cassian wisely chose not to voice the obvious, though he saw it on the faces of Bodhi and the others. Jyn wasn't defeated however. She glared at him.

"Then my father will tell them in person. We will find him and take him back and he can tell them."

 _Kill me now_ , Cassian pleaded to the Force or whoever was listening. He nodded vaguely. If Jyn sensed his uneasiness, she didn't push it further. She glared at him just a bit longer then turned and sat back down, hugging her arms to herself. Chirrut didn't give him the same relief, staring at him with a penetrative look in his blind orbs that made Cassian feel like he knew exactly what was going on.

He retreated to the pilot seat, wanting to get away from his passengers. He didn't need the guilt trip. Jyn had no proof and without proof he couldn't change his orders. He had to carry them out, whether or not Galen Erso was indeed the hero of the increasingly convoluted story that was being painted.

Whether or not doing so would rob Jyn of the father she'd just discovered was alive.

He closed his eyes. He felt a headache coming on. Why couldn't it have stayed simple?

 

* * *

 

Jyn was angry. She'd arrived quickly at this familiar state, having rushed through the less familiar states of sheer joy at seeing her father alive (albeit in hologram) and _missing_ her and hopefulness that this whole thing could have a happy ending for them both. She arrived at angry as she saw the guarded doubt in Cassian's eyes and the happy ending started wavering. Why couldn't he have come right out like Chirrut, and say without any trace of doubt that he believed her? Chirrut, who had absolute faith? Chirrut, the crazy one?

_Why is it so important that he does?_

It mattered to her that Cassian believed her - he'd said it wasn't him she had to convince, but he was wrong. They had been through a lot together in just two days and he had saved her life at least twice in Jedha. Granted, that was likely part of his mission brief, but he'd gone back for her and that was more than what she could admittedly say about anyone else in her life. Moreover, she was just starting to think they were warming up to each other. She didn't want it to, but it mattered that he believed her.

Cassian remained in the cockpit for the rest of the trip to Eadu with Kaytoo. Jyn was sure he was avoiding her, but she was too tired to call him out on it. At least they were still on their way to Eadu. They would get her father and he could confirm everything. She settled down where she could on a duffel bag to catch some sleep. Bodhi was already sleeping and so was Baze. Chirrut was still wide awake unless he slept sitting up with his sightless eyes open, which Jyn couldn't put past him so it was a very real possibility.

Unfortunately, he was actually awake. As Jyn closed her eyes, he spoke softly.

"The captain is struggling with something, even more than usual. I would find out what."

She flicked her eyes open. "What do you mean?"

"Seems important. He is nervous around you. The Force is uneasy around him when he is near you."

She wasn't sure what to say to that. Chirrut's face remained blank. "He has a lot on his mind. My father. We need to get him out alive from that research facility."

"Mm." Chirrut gave his half bemused smile. "Perhaps that's it."

She rolled over and forcibly closed her eyes, wrapping a fist around her necklace.

 _Soon, I'll see Papa soon. Then it'll all be over_.

 

* * *

 

_THE EVENTS ON EADU HAPPEN HERE. CASSIAN ATTEMPTS TO ASSASSINATE GALEN ERSO BUT DOESN'T GO THROUGH WITH IT, INSTEAD GOING TO SAVE JYN FROM THE BURNING PLATFORM AS ALLIANCE SHIPS BOMB THE FACILITY, KILLING THE ELDER ERSO. THEY LEAVE EADU EMPTY HANDED. JYN CONFRONTS CASSIAN ABOUT HER FATHER - HE DOESN'T DENY HE WAS SENT TO KILL HIM._

 

* * *

 

"I had every chance of pulling the trigger. But did I? Did I?"

"You may as well have!"

A thousand emotions were running through Jyn's head so violently her hands shook. What had just happened? She'd had her father - and then she had lost him. Two minutes after more than a decade, just two minutes she had with him as he lay dying on the platform. And Cassian? The man she was beginning to trust, beginning to _like_ even, had kept this evil secret from her. The Alliance? They were supposed to be the good guys and they had sent Cassian to assassinate her father, and when that didn't work they had rained bombs down and killed him anyway. She had cried but now she was just furious.

"Those were Alliance bombs that killed him," she seethed. They had just boarded the stolen Imperial shuttle from Eadu. She was still dripping wet from the rain outside, but she didn't even notice. She had cornered Cassian as soon as they were on board.

Cassian had the look of a hounded, wounded animal baring his teeth as he defended himself. "I had orders, orders I disobeyed. But you wouldn't understand that."

"Even when you know the orders are wrong. You may as well be a stormtrooper."

It was a low blow, she almost regretted it as soon as it came out as she turned away from him. Almost. But she was done playing nice to get him to say something genuine to her, to give her the respect of an explanation for what the hell had just happened. If it was a reaction she wanted, she got it. He rounded on her instantly, genuinely angry. Chirrut and Baze sadly looked on while Bodhi was uncomfortably engrossed at his console.

"Suddenly the Rebellion is real for you," Cassian growled. "Some of us live it. I've been in this fight since I was six years old. You're not the only one who has lost everything."

They glared at each other, Jyn feeling like the hot air was being sucked out of her lungs with his words. She was still angry, still devastated. But the quivering rage was giving way to defeat. He wasn't going to give her what she needed to know.

"You can't talk your way out of this," she said, softly. She felt almost physical pain from betrayal as she looked on his wet, angry face.

"I don't have to."

He left them all below, ascending to the upper deck to escape them all, she knew. He wasn't good at dealing with people, she realised. He shut himself off when it became too much, and this was too much. She hoped he felt bad, really bad and she didn't feel sorry for him one bit.

She looked around helplessly. She didn't know what to do with herself. The uncomfortable silence that descended on deck was thicker than blood. Baze rolled over and pretended to be asleep. Bodhi was hunched over his console, still acting like he hadn't heard anything. Only Chirrut remained looking at her, sadly. She couldn't handle the pity in his blind eyes.

"Stop looking at me," she said, angrily, feeling tears prick again behind her own eyes.

"I am sorry, Jyn Erso," he said, softly. "Your father - he was a great man. He's a hero."

Tears threatened to gush out and she took a deep shuddering breath. "Thank you, Chirrut."

"Jyn." Kaytoo swiveled around from the cockpit seat. He hadn't said much to her in a while, they'd been so busy. She was surprised he'd noticed what was going on. "I wasn't aware of Cassian's revised orders, he didn't tell me. But I don't believe he would have killed your father with the information you provided him. He can be very stubborn, but usually he makes the right decision in the end. Usually."

"Too late," Jyn said, bitterly. "It was far too late."

"He tried to delay the squadron." Kaytoo seemed to sigh. "Consider this, Jyn Erso. If Cassian had gone there intending to save your father, would the outcome have been any different?"

She didn't want to think about it. Cassian was right in a way, she needed to blame him. She needed to blame someone. He represented the Alliance to her. Her dreams and hopes had been raised and dashed almost immediately by the bloody Alliance.

She ignored Kaytoo's last question, finding a bench and throwing herself down on it, clutching her head in her hands. They had gotten themselves a bigger ship, but it was still too damn small. She needed space.

 

* * *

 

The journey back to Yavin 4 would take sixteen hours. That was far too long for five people and one droid in a small space with their accumulated emotional baggage. Cassian had gone up deck and hadn't been down since, and no one felt like joining him up there. Jyn felt like she had a noose around her neck in the solemn environment, she couldn't breathe. She was too wired to sleep, unlike the others who eventually dropped off one by one, even Chirrut. She clutched her necklace tightly, seeking comfort from the warm stone as the events of Eadu replayed over and over again in her mind, as did the angry words she'd exchanged with Cassian.

She had liked Cassian. She hadn't liked anyone in years. Almost more than anything, the thought of him betraying her made her feel so stupid for trusting him. Had she brought on her father's death by trusting him?

But Galen had reached out himself to the Alliance. He had signed his own death warrant by revealing himself. If only Bodhi had reached Saw sooner. If only Saw had reached out to the Alliance directly as soon as he saw the message, instead of sitting on it until Jyn showed up. If only the Alliance knew Galen was an ally before sending Cassian to kill him. There were too many variables, too many possible scenarios.

She suddenly felt an overwhelming need to hear it from Cassian. She had to know if there had been no other outcome for Galen possible based on information they'd all had. She had to know if she'd misjudged Cassian, if she was really so stupid after all these years of being so careful around people to trust him. She had to know if Cassian had had any intention of saving her father in the end. She couldn't get anything out of him before and she didn't think she would by trying again, but she had to try. It felt important to their fledgling relationship, whatever it was, that she try.

The others still looked asleep. Kaytoo was manning the controls up front and he had his back to her. She got up silently and climbed the ladder cautiously to the upper deck, peering over the floor -

\- and nearly met a boot in the face so suddenly she nearly let go of the ladder in surprise.

"Hey," Cassian said, catching her arm. "Sorry. I was coming down."

He helped her up. For a while they stood there, staring at each other. The fire had gone out of both of them. She saw he looked incredibly tired once again, as if the galaxy was weighing down on him. The circles under his eyes had their own circles. She couldn't remember when she last saw him sleep or even rest. His demons or shadows that followed him wherever he went seemed to be giving him a particularly hard time.

She didn't know where to start. He was the first to break the odd silence, rubbing his face uncomfortably.

"I was going to talk to you," he said, slowly. "I feel... I feel like I owe you an explanation."

He didn't look like a man who ever explained himself and felt uncomfortable doing it. Jyn didn't help him. She needed to hear this and a part of her was glad he was the one offering it to her, that she didn't have to ask for it.

"My mission was everything you thought you knew. What you didn't know was instead of an extraction, I was to kill your father. It was a last minute order. At that point all we knew was that he was the architect of this Death Star. He had to be eliminated." He paused, searching her eyes, but she didn't say anything. "Then you told us the message and Bodhi told us what he told us. I believed you. It made me question the order, but I couldn't get it changed, not without proof. When I saw your father on the platform, he didn't behave like an Imperial officer. I couldn't go through with it."

Jyn still didn't say anything. About a million words and emotions were lodged in her throat, unable to come out. Cassian seemed even less sure of himself, looking away from her.

"I decided to extract him, to go ahead with the original orders. But then the bombs came and it was too late to stop them. I'm sorry, Jyn. I really am. And that is all the truth about this mission. I promise you there is nothing else about it that could hurt you."

She searched his face, unsure of what she was seeing. He seemed genuine enough. He may have withheld information from her, but she didn't think he'd lied outright to her face (the line was _very_ thin there). The question was whether she believed that he had intended to save her father in the end, and she didn't feel emotionally equipped enough to make that decision.

"You believe me?" she finally said. "About the Death Star?"

He paused. It was his turn now to scrutinise her face. "Yes, I do," he said, finally. "Trust goes both ways."

Words she had spoken to him right at the beginning of the mission.

"You'll support my idea to go to Scarif?"

She knew if Cassian really believed her about the Death Star and Scarif, then he really likely had changed his mind about her father in the end. The captain took his time answering her again, but when he did, it was with confidence.

"All the way. It is the right thing to do."

She felt glad. A part of her heart not mourning her father lightened. While she wasn't so naive to entirely forgive Cassian yet, or trust him until he backed his own words up, she felt a little bit of hope.

"I'm sorry for comparing you to a stormtrooper," she offered.

Cassian gave a half laugh. "I've been called worse. Although it did sting from you."

"I know you must have done things you've regretted for the Rebellion. I'm sure you thought you had good reason."

"Don't, Jyn." Cassian's face darkened again, his jaw set. "Don't make excuses for me. I didn't go through with this order because you were here to change my mind. You don't know what I've done in the name of the Rebellion when there was no one to do that, you wouldn't want to know. I will pay for my sins someday, I know more than anybody."

Jyn swallowed nervously. He was right, she didn't want to know. He was wrong about one thing though - she could see he was already paying for his sins, and had been paying for some time. Something Chirrut warned her about came back to her. _Something is bothering the captain, more then usual_. Chirrut has sensed his burden a while back. She recognised the shadow in his eyes for what it was now.

"Maybe you need to stop," she said, bluntly. "Stop doing this work."

Cassian gave her a small smile. He leaned a little closer to her and spoke a little lower. "This is my last mission. I decided when your father turned out to be hero. So I thank him for that. I'm done."

His mention of her father tugged at the raw wound of his death. The emotions hit her afresh, so much so she didn't really process what he'd just said to her.

"Before he died, he said he had so much to tell me," she whispered. "And then he was gone." Something welled up inside her so suddenly, she had to physically put her hand over her mouth. Memories of her mother, her mother being shot, her last glimpse of her father on Lah'mu, her last minutes with him just hours earlier all tumbled through her mind. _So much wasted time. So many years lost._

And then as if he sensed exactly what was going through her mind, Cassian drew her to him, letting her turn her face away into his shoulder as the tears flowed freely for the first time in her life. To her surprise, she let him.


	4. Yavin 4 - I

The atmosphere in the ship had lightened up somewhat since Cassian had made peace with Jyn and they both returned to the lower deck. Chirrut, Baze and Bodhi were still mourning the loss of their home, but now seemed galvanised to avenge it. They had moved on from shock to anger and they needed to make things right. Even Bodhi seemed to have it together.

Everyone wisely chose not to ask what had happened between Cassian and Jyn, but Kaytoo was not as sensitive.

"I must say, you two are much friendlier now. Did you apologise, Cassian?" he remarked loudly as Cassian joined him in the cockpit as they neared Yavin 4. Cassian tried to ignore him.

"Get us ready to move into orbit. Make sure they know it's us."

"Copy that. You know if you haven't, you really should."

"Kaytoo."

"I'm just saying. I'm only a droid but I would say-"

"No one cares," Cassian said, bluntly.

"Well," Kaytoo huffed. "That's rather rude."

Cassian saw Jyn stifling a smile from the back of the deck along with Chirrut. _Well, I'm glad I'm entertaining them_. He felt much lighter than he could last remember. It was as if years of weight had been moved from his shoulders. For the first time in a long time, he felt good about what he was doing. It felt _right_. It felt good to look forward to telling Draven he was not going to do these missions anymore. It felt good to be recommending a course of action to the Alliance that made irrefutable, moral sense. It felt good that Jyn was not looking at him like a cold blooded murderer. It felt good that he finally admitted to himself what he'd known since he shared a lacuua meal with her on Ashon II just days before - against all sense, he cared for Jyn, more than he should. He'd only acknowledged it as he comforted her and realised he would do anything not to have her cry so helplessly again. It wasn't the strong, determined Jyn he had come to know over the past few days. He genuinely, deeply, regretted he couldn't have done more to save Galen Erso, for Jyn. That damn conscience was finally starting to sit right.

His life finally had a purpose, it finally was starting to make some sense, just as the galaxy was about to fall apart.

_And here I was thinking the Alliance would give me that._

"They've cleared us for landing. We'll be landing in 10 minutes," Bodhi said. It appeared that when Bodhi was doing what he was familiar with - piloting - his loose mental bolts were somewhat tightened and he was able to function more coherently.

Cassian looked at his eclectic assortment of passengers around him. They were all here out of circumstance and a united goal of destroying the Death Star, driven by Jyn's conviction, though each with their own reasons. He had mixed in with all sorts of crew but he didn't think he'd collected such a mixed bag as he had here. A criminal, a monk, a fighter and an Imperial pilot. He had no idea how to explain this to Alliance command.

They're never going to believe her _,_ he knew. They had no proof, just Jyn's word and Bodhi's word. It wasn't exactly a rock solid case to the Cabinet. Previously he might have let Jyn find this out the hard way instead of trying to convince her otherwise, but things had changed in the past few days. He didn't want to feed her to the wolves without at least warning her.

"Jyn, a word?" He motioned for her to come up to the cockpit. She did so, looking at him quizzically. "It is not going to be easy convincing the Cabinet about your story. We still don't have any proof but your word and Bodhi's."

She frowned, but she knew he was right. "What do you suggest then? They have to believe us, this is the only way to even get close to destroying the Death Star!"

"Mon Mothma and Raddus are your best bets, but you still need a unanimous vote from all Cabinet members before they'll sanction any plan of attack. And you are proposing a very risky one. Scarif is a heavily fortified Imperial planet."

"Taking down a weapon like that was never going to be easy, did they think it would be? They'll have no choice, what other plan will they have - surrender? They've seen what it did to Jedha."

"I hope so." He lowered his voice a little. "I won't come to the Cabinet hearing myself, I want to talk to a few people on base. The sooner I do it, the better. Just do your best."

"You'll leave me alone in there? I thought you were with me." A look of panic flashed by her eyes, but he hastily tried to reassure her.

"You don't need me, trust me. If you can't convince them, my absence won't be the problem. But I think I can help another way. Trust me on this, Jyn."

It wasn't much, but he didn't want to tell her what he was planning in case he got her hopes up. She still looked unsure. He knew she was still some way from trusting him again, and frankly he didn't blame her. He had to earn it back, if he ever had it completely. He knew he was asking a lot of her. She glared at him, searching his eyes for any sign of a lie. He held her gaze bravely, not wanting to look away and make her more suspicious, but damn her glare could burn him down on the spot.

She gave up and let it go, more out of impatience rather then actually trusting him. "Fine. Bodhi will come with me."

"Yes - yes, I need to speak. I brought the message," Bodhi stammered, hearing his name and looking up from the flight console.

"Cassian, I don't know what you're planning, but I should add Jyn's chances of success with the Cabinet are very low," Kaytoo said, still next to them busily prepping the ship for landing. "You said yourself they can be a bunch of risk-adverse useless politicians - your words, not mine."

"She has to try." Cassian reached out subtly and brushed her hand quickly. "And she'll be fine. Get ready, we'll land soon."

Jyn looked shocked at his touch, jerking her hand back with a sharp intake of breath. She met his eyes for a few moments, but he couldn't read what was going through her mind. He hadn't meant to do it, he'd meant to just give her more assurance, but it hadn't come across that way to either of them. His hand still tingled from touching her. She broke his gaze and left to find a spot and something to hold on in the back for the landing, actively avoiding looking back at him.  _What are you doing?_ Cassian, for once, had no idea. As a spy he had been in more than one situation that necessitated seducing a woman for information and he had always been able to pull those off without breaking a sweat. He's always known exactly what to do. But Jyn made him feel like a teenager with no clue. He turned back around in his seat to find Kaytoo glaring at him, in a way only a droid could.

"You have been acting very strange since we started this mission," Kaytoo said, levelly. For once, the droid actually lowered his voice volume. "Even more so than usual. Some of your actions have not been logical with regards to Jyn Erso."

"Is that right," Cassian said, watching the viewport as the ship descended through the atmosphere of the moon. It was a rhetorical question and Cassian remembered too late that Kaytoo took those literally.

"Yes. You seem uncharacteristically concerned about keeping her alive and with you."

"Kaytoo, in most circles, that is considered a positive thing to do," Cassian said, wearily. Had he been a bad influence to an Imperial droid? Is that how low he had sunk?

"And," Kaytoo continued. "I've detected your heart rate has been increasing in her presence."

That's it, the conversation was over. Bodhi kept his head down, though Cassian had no doubt he'd heard every word. Strangely enough, he didn't really care.

"Put us down," he said, shortly.

 

* * *

 

Word of their arrival had been sent well ahead, and General Draven was ready to meet them as soon as they were off the ship, along with what looked like half the base. Eyes stared curiously at the ragtag band of Jedha survivors as they were marched into the compound.

"Mon Mothma has called an emergency meeting of the Cabinet, as you requested. We can go there right now. I assume you've come back with some critical intel?" Draven asked Cassian as they walked ahead of the group.

"Yes. We have a way to defeat the Death Star. Jyn will present it to the Cabinet."

"Jyn Erso?" Draven said, incredulously. Jyn, striding just behind them, glared daggers into his back.

"It's her father's plan. It's right she presents it." Cassian's tone was final, and Draven looked like he might argue a bit more but evidently decided there were bigger battles to fight and left it.

"Who are your new friends?" he asked instead, flicking his head back at Chirrut, Baze and Bodhi. Chirrut smiled as oblivious as ever, but Baze and Bodhi looked distinctly out of place and uncomfortable. Baze's massive cannon repeater and armour, and Bodhi's Imperial uniform, drew the bulk of the curious gazes from the onlookers.

"Long story. Picked them up on Jedha. They had nowhere else to go."

"Right. We'll have to talk about them later. This is a Rebel base, not a refugee camp."

"You're all heart, sir. If you'll excuse me, I need to take Kaytoo to run some diagnostics down with the techs, he was malfunctioning a bit during our flight out of Eadu. Start the meeting without me."

Draven waved him off as Cassian splintered off from the group with Kaytoo. As he passed Jyn, he tried to give her a smile of encouragement, but she didn't smile back. She probably thought he was abandoning her. He wanted to tell her otherwise, but there was no time. She'd find out soon enough.

"Malfunctioning!" the droid was saying, indignantly. "I can run my own diagnostics, thank you!"

"Shhh," Cassian hissed. "We're not going to tech. We need to find some men."

"Oh no. What are you planning, Cassian? Look what happened last time you didn't tell me your plans."

The droid had a point. Cassian realised he actually relied on Kaytoo to ground him from his more stupid decisions, and if Kaytoo had been told about the kill order for Galen Erso... well, no one could know what might have happened, but chances were Kaytoo would have made him rethink it earlier.

"I know she's not going to convince all of them, even though I hope I'm wrong." Cassian stopped walking. They were in one of the busy corridors of the base near the pilots' mess, and he didn't know too many people there. Hardly anyone gave them a second glance. He still lowered his voice a bit, and Kaytoo had to bend to listen. "Some of those senators are frankly cowards. They'll never agree to such a risky mission. We have to have a plan B. I'm giving her her plan B. We have to get these Death Star plans, one way or another. Without them, we'll never be able to find this reactor module."

"You believe her?"

"Yes, I do. She has no reason to lie. Bodhi's brain is too scrambled to say anything but the truth. I trust them both."

"What is your plan B?"

"We go to Scarif, with or without Alliance support. But we need more men. There's the three of us, possibly Bodhi, Chirrut and Baze, but six doesn't make an assault team at a base like Scarif. We need more men for diversion. I think I know some who might take up the cause."

"Like who?"

"Other agents. Agents like me who have done things they're not happy with. This kind of mission should appeal to them, like it appeals to me. It's a chance at... redemption."

"That doesn't sound like you at all," Kaytoo said, curiously. "I told you you've been acting strange since this mission started, since you met Jyn."

"She will go, with or without us. She's more stubborn than a Wookiee. I'm just trying to give her her best chance of success and I'm not going to let her go alone. That goes for you as well - whatever Jyn wants to do, you need to support her regardless of what happens to me." Cassian paused. It was more than he'd ever revealed to Kaytoo. "Promise me that. Look after her."

If he had a jaw, it probably would have dropped. Kaytoo stared at him silently for a few moments, his back hunched rather comically with his long arms hanging limp by his sides. "Yes, Cassian," he said, finally. "Although the odds of success to your plan are abysmal."

"Kaytoo, this is the most important mission we've ever done. We need to succeed. That planet killer can't be allowed to exist."

"That still doesn't make your chances anything more than abysmal."

"OK." Cassian took a deep breath. Kaytoo was not the droid to talk to for encouragement. "Let's start with Melshi."

 

* * *

 

Jyn was furious. She thought she had no more emotional energy left, but the meeting had gone as badly as Cassian had warned her it could and the inaction of the Cabinet made her blood boil. How could they not see that running away would not solve anything? They _had_ to make a stand, if there ever was a time to do so, it was now! 

She stormed away from the chambers, Bodhi close behind her. She didn't know where she was going and no one stopped her, which was surprising. She'd only been to the base once, briefly, and she'd had an escort the whole time. She suspected the woman, Mon Mothma, had let her go. If it had been up to her, the mission would have been okayed, Jyn was sure of it. But it had required a unanimous vote and some had opted to run or surrender. Democracy was overrated in the hands of these fools.

She kicked a piece of metal off the ground in frustration, sending it skittling off into the distance. They were in one of the hangars now and she stopped as she noticed Baze and Chirrut lounging by the wall. She couldn't see Cassian anywhere, which was good. She was angry at him again for not being in the meeting, terrified actually that he had disappeared for good. He confused her so much - where could he possibly be that was more important? Did he care or didn't he?

"You don't look happy," Baze called out to her.

"They prefer to surrender," Jyn spat.

"And you?"

"She wants to fight," said Chirrut, smiling.

"So do I. So do we all," Bodhi said, behind her. He looked different now, than before the meeting. There was a spark of life in him where it had been blank or dulled previously. The possibility of surrender was as impossible for him as it was for her, and that seemed to have woken him up.

"I'm not sure the four of us will be enough," said Jyn, even as her mind was racing to think of a plan where that might be possible. She'd go alone if she had to, she couldn't just let her father's legacy die and doom the galaxy to Imperial rule in the process. She'd have to die trying, so surely if she had three more bodies, they could think of something...

"How many do you need?" Baze said, smiling slyly.

"What do you mean?"

Baze looked over her shoulder. Somehow, she knew who she was going to see as she turned, but it was even better than she'd hoped.

Cassian stood there with at least twenty other men. An even more ragtag bunch than the Jedha survivors. They were from all walks of life and species, but they looked keen and ready. So that was what he'd been up to.

"They were never going to believe you," he said, casually.

"I appreciate the support," Jyn said, sarcastically, still stinging from his absence at the meeting. She couldn't believe now, how much she had feared Cassian had turned his back on her now that he was home. She thought she was angry with him, but she was actually terrified. She'd been left, abandoned and dismissed all her life, but thinking Cassian might've done the same struck a deeper chord then she thought possible. She only realised now that she had some serious abandonment issues.

"But I do. I believe you." Jyn felt her heart rise in her chest as she heard him say this and she could hardly keep the smile off her face. He'd come through for her, again. "We've all done terrible things for the Rebellion. If we don't do this, it would have been all for nothing and I could not live with myself if that happened."

It meant everything to her that he declared his support in front of everyone. For the first time, she was literally speechless. They were all going to Scarif, Cassian, her, Bodhi, Chirrut and Baze. Even Kaytoo. And these twenty-odd brave souls. The galaxy had a chance. A slim one, but a chance. And Cassian, he would be by her side all the way. Somehow, it felt _right_. He was smiling nervously now, waiting for her reaction, but her heart was too big in her mouth to allow any words out.

"We can all fit," Bodhi piped up from behind, breaking the awkward silence. "It'll be tight.. but we can all fit."

"Let's go!" Cassian turned and shouted after the volunteers as they splintered off. "Grab everything that's not nailed down!"

Kaytoo was lurking behind the group, but he came up now to Jyn, who still stood there in stunned silence as everyone moved off around her.

"I'll support you," he said. "Cassian told me I had to."

Cassian smiled tightly as he shooed the droid off. He looked like he wanted to say something, but thought the better of it and started to move off to do whatever it was he had to do. Jyn caught his arm as he went past her.

"I'm not used to people sticking around when things go bad," she said, smiling at him. _Why can't I just thank him like a normal person?_

"Welcome home," he replied, softly. She stared into his eyes, not knowing what response she could possibly give to that. She hadn't had a home since the Empire took it from her. What did he mean by that? Did he mean the base? The Alliance? Their cozy little group of rebels rebelling against the Rebellion? Or did he mean, with him?

 _You're crazy_ , her inner voice admonished her. _Cassian Andor doesn't feel for you that way, not in such a short time._ And yet she didn't think she was wrong. She wasn't naive, she'd noticed him acting differently with her and where she originally thought she was seeing things, she didn't think so anymore. It was as if Cassian had given up being subtle, but hadn't gone so far as to be overt. He was looking at her now without his usual guard up, his smile actually reached his eyes. She realised too late she had a stupid smile on her face too.

She hadn't had time to process what this actually meant and how she felt about it. It seemed as if the entire past week, ever since she was broken out of the prison transport, she had been operating on pure instinct and intuition. Her natural instinct with Cassian - with anyone - was to run away, but she couldn't ignore the fact that deep inside her there was something that felt good when he was nearby. And only now she remembered what he had told her back on the ship before she had embarrassingly melted down in front of him. He was going to stop his life as an intelligence agent, a life she had realised in the past few days she had spent with him was slowly poisoning him. She didn't want to take credit for that, but she was happy to think she was able to influence him so dramatically.

It was too overwhelming to think about. There would be time later to process everything that had happened the past few days. At least, she hoped so. 

He saved her the embarrassment of trying to reply to his last comment by squeezing her hand lightly and then moving off. She knew there was a lot to do before they could go, and they had to find a way to go without raising the alarm in the base. That was going to be Cassian's job and he had to focus.

Jyn savoured the dissipating warmth on her skin where he touched her, just for a moment. The galaxy could wait, just for a moment.


	5. Yavin 4 - II

Things moved fast, but not for Jyn, Chirrut, Baze or Bodhi. As the only non-Alliance people from their little rebel gang on the base, they had no clue as to what was going on. And to keep things looking innocent - they knew they were likely being watched all the time - they had to look like they were doing nothing.

"I'm sure Draven is already trying to think of an excuse to get rid of us," Jyn said. They were all sitting around in the mess and had been there for hours. No one had bothered to offer them a rack to sleep in and they didn't want to draw attention to themselves, so didn't ask. Every now and then one of the Scarif volunteers, a different one each time, would come by quickly and give them an update. Never Cassian, he was too busy. She still found herself disappointed each time it wasn't.

"Patience, Jyn," Chirrut said, serenely. "Good things cannot be rushed."

"I'm not good at this. This waiting."

"Me neither. Chirrut does the waiting for both of us," Baze said, solemnly. He alternated from pacing to sitting, back to pacing again so frequently that Jyn had to bite her lip from telling him to just pick one and stick to it.

"Cassian is doing all the work. I just wish we could help."

"You trust him so completely now?" Baze looked bemused.

"Well, he's coming with us, right? He has nothing to gain from lying about all this." She was very sure about it, but that tiny seed of doubt that was always there mocked her.  _How well do you know Cassian? You've known him less than a week_. She ignored it.

"I do wonder at his motivation," Chirrut said, matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean?" She didn't want to ask, but she had to. Chirrut may not be a Jedi, but his intuition was as sharp as one and she had come to trust it even though she still thought he was crazy. If he felt any apprehension about Cassian, she had to know. 

"I'm not questioning his intentions. I believe he intends to come and see the mission through. I'm questioning his motivation for it." A sad smile crossed his face. "I told him once that he carried his prison around with him. He carries it inside him, all the time, everywhere he goes. It is the same for all the volunteers he has found. Redemption is a strong motivator to do good things. But when one believes redemption is not enough, it is an even greater motivator to be offered redemption and punishment for their sins that they feel they deserve, at the same time."

She looked at the white, sightless orbs of the monk, suddenly feeling a chill at her core. "What are you saying, Chirrut?"

"He's saying this trip could be a death warrant. And some of us might welcome that," Baze said, quietly.

She had always been aware of the high risk this mission carried. They could fail spectacularly. The odds were stacked against them all incredibly high. She had tried to ignore this fact up until this point, there had been no good reason to even think about it. But she suddenly saw what Chirrut was saying.

Was it possible Cassian wanted to do this mission _because_ it carried such a high risk? Were the sins of his past sufficiently bad enough that he felt a suicide mission was a fair punishment for them? _Don't presume to know what I've done_ , he'd said to her, just recently. _One day I will pay for my sins._

Jyn understood that motivation. She didn't even mind that it was likely true of the other volunteers. They all had different reasons to go and risk their lives and she was hardly going to judge or question it. But she didn't feel she could allow Cassian to be one of them. She suddenly felt so selfish for being so relieved that Cassian agreed to come with her to Scarif. She had been so concerned that he believe her and trust her, that she never considered why he would and the part his personal demons may have played in his decision. He had said he wanted to make this his last mission, but did he mean that? Was it enough to absolve his guilty conscience?

"Status update." One of the volunteers, Melshi, had come by with a tray of food. He spoke to them in a low voice as he sat down to eat. "The ship is ready. But we won't have a chance until the morning to go. Have to wait until airfield is busy enough so no one notices us all going onboard. We're meeting at Hangar Five at 0600."

"Where's Cassian," Jyn said, urgently, barely hearing him.

"He's in the officer's mess. He said he can't be seen with you lot so as not to raise suspicion. Then probably his rack for some sleep. You all should get some sleep somewhere. We're not going to be sleeping for a while."

Melshi got up to leave, but Jyn grabbed his arm. "Tell me where his rack is. I need to talk to him before the morning."

Melshi darted his eyes nervously around the mess, but no one was really looking at them that they could tell. "Deck 3, Rack 15. Don't tell him I told you."

And then he was gone.

Jyn waited only until Melshi was out of sight before rapidly disappearing herself with a short, "I'll be back." She thought she heard Baze say something and both he and Chirrut chuckling behind her, but she didn't care.

 

* * *

 

Cassian was not in the officer's mess, though that was probably a good thing since she understood they shouldn't be seen together. She hadn't wanted to go to his rack, but she had no choice - she had to speak to him before the morning. She fumbled her way to Deck 3 and then Rack 15, following the poorly written and poorly distributed signs that led her all over the base before she finally arrived at what seemed like the right door. She was nervous - if this was Cassian's private room, this was going to be a little embarrassing and a lot awkward. She had no idea if he was ranked highly enough for that. There wasn't a lot she knew about Cassian's life outside of the past few days.

The door was locked, so she had to buzz. She prayed to the Force there was no one else in there, preparing a quick lie about a wrong room. She even secretly hoped Cassian wouldn't be there, she was really starting to have second thoughts now.

No such luck - Cassian's voice floated out from inside, "come in". She took a deep breath and pressed the door open, but didn't step in, feeling ridiculous. Cassian had apparently just had a wash, he was dressed but drying his hair roughly with a towel. He looked up at her, completely surprised.

"How did you-? Get in." He strode to the door and glanced outside nervously before pulling her in and setting the door to slide shut and lock. "We shouldn't be seen talking to each other."

She looked around the room. It was small, but it wasn't all his. There were six racks in the room configured as three bunks, although they were all empty at the moment. Evidently too early for most to call it a night. There were six lockers at one end of the room and a table and chair. That was it. Some of the bunks had personal photos stuck to them, but she could not pick which one was Cassian's. Probably one of the bunks with no photos, that seemed appropriate for him.

"Lucky guess," she smiled, weakly. "So this is home?"

Cassian let the first part go. He smiled back tightly. "Not really. I don't spend much time on base. I'm usually out on mission. I don't even know half the people who sleep here. But I _do_ know they may be back soon."

"Right." _He wants you to go_. He seemed uneasy to have her in his personal space more than anything. She looked at him squarely, trying to work out if she should just go. No, she had to ask what she'd come to ask. "Cassian. This mission - it could be a suicide mission. Not all of us might make it back. Maybe none of us."

He acknowledged her words, nodding carefully. "Yes, I know. It's high risk. Otherwise it would be sanctioned."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Haven't we been through this?" he frowned, a little confused. "We agreed. It's the right thing to do. We have to try."

"Yes, but." She struggled to find her words. How could she say this without looking like a fool? _Maybe that's the problem. Maybe you need to look like a fool_. "Cassian. I need to know that when you go there, you'll do your best to come back."

"What are you saying?"

She took a deep breath. "I don't want you using this mission as a way to punish yourself of the things you've done. I need to know you want to come back."

"Are you questioning if I'll give it my best?" He seemed confused, hurt by the suggestion.

"No," she said, quickly. She was getting frustrated with herself and her inability to say what she was afraid of. "I know you will. I need to know if given the choice between an ending where we win and you come back or we win and you don't come back, you will choose to come back."

Cassian was speechless for a few moments, finally understanding her meaning. He ran his hand through his still-damp hair, trying to think. He smelt good, she noticed. He was in fresh clothes. And he'd shaven a bit. She noticed of all this to distract herself from the awkwardness of the situation.

"Who have you been talking to?" he finally said.

"No one," she lied. "But I know what you've told me. You made a comment you know, back on Ashon II, in the cantina. You implied you didn't think people like you deserve to continue living. I thought it was a strange thing for a Rebel captain to say at the time, but you changed the subject, like you always do."

"Oh." Cassian looked like he was having trouble remembering it, but he didn't deny it either. "And what if I said you were right? That I'd rather not come back if I had that choice?"

"Then I'd say don't come on this mission." Jyn squared her shoulders, preparing herself mentally for him to protest.

"That's not fair. I can't guarantee that none of the volunteers would rather go out in a blaze of glory then to come back. But I can say we'd all give it our best shot before that happens. We all understand the stakes here." He looked like he might stop there and leave her hanging, but he softened a bit as he met her desperate eyes. "If it makes you feel better though, I don't plan on dying there."

She wasn't sure if he was just saying it to appease her, or if he meant it. She searched his eyes for any hint of a lie, but found him difficult to read. His guard was up again and he avoided her gaze directly. She was wary of Cassian the Intelligence Agent, this persona that he so easily slipped into that she just didn't know or understand. 

"I don't know if I believe you," she said, slowly. "And I don't care if it's not fair. I just don't want to offer you a way out of your problems like this. If we do this, I need to trust you will do your best, and as well as everything to stay alive. I don't have the time to be selective about everyone else, but I need to know this about you."

 _You are the most important to me. That's just the truth._ She didn't care anymore if that was what she sounded like.

Cassian sighed. He looked away from her for a few moments, then slowly reached out to hold her hand in his. His hands were calloused and rough with scars and work. She felt her heart race and hated herself for it at the same time her skin hummed. _I can't believe thi_ _s_. She was feeling like a teenager. How had she allowed herself to be affected by him like this? This was the man who had nearly killed her father. But then he hadn't. And he had come back for her again and again long past his need to do so. She had sensed an emptiness in him that had drawn her to him right from the start - it was something she saw now was mirrored in herself. 

"Jyn," he said. He was looking at her now with his dark eyes, unflinchingly, deliberately dropping his mask. He hesitated a moment, then seemed to reach a decision in his mind. He pulled her towards him, slowly. _What was happening?_ They were so close now, as close as they were back in the storage room, lifetimes ago. He stepped towards her, linking his arms around her waist. As close as they were when he was comforting her. Involuntarily, her hands went up to his chest. She felt the hardness of his warm muscle under his shirt. Wiry.  _I should protest. Make a scene_. But she didn't. She'd forgotten to breathe, her gaze anchored to his. "Jyn," he said again, almost as a whisper this time. "You're right about me. A week ago that's exactly how I would have felt. But things have changed. I do want to come back."

They stood like that for seconds, minutes, Jyn had no idea. She was only aware of her heart beating so hard in her chest she was surprised it hadn't leapt out, and Cassian's dark, curious eyes boring into her own. He seemed to be waiting for her response to what he had not directly said, but she seemed as bad at responding honestly to a question as he was bad at honestly asking one. She couldn't quite process what was going on, standing here in a Rebel camp in the arms of a spy whom she had such conflicted feelings for. When she didn't say anything, Cassian evidently decided she needed a stronger push. He bent down and his mouth touched hers, lightly, cautiously. As if giving her a chance to push him away. She almost reflexively did that but caught herself. _Don't ruin this, Jyn Erso_. For a moment, she was frozen, unsure of what to do, it had been so long. What would Cassian expect? What should she do?

_What do you want to do?_

She thought about what she wanted to happen. She hadn't processed her feelings around Cassian yet, but maybe like everything else in the past few days, she had to rely on intuition. And her intuition was very clear on what she wanted to do. She slid her hand up behind his neck and pulled him towards her, pressing her lips on his more firmly. He responded instantly, kissing her deeply, almost desperately, pulling her even closer to him so she moulded to him. It wasn't gentle, almost hungry, and Jyn found herself matching him in kind, years of loneliness welling up to be erased for both of them. Everything else around her disappeared as if the universe only contained she and Cassian and this moment. She had kissed others in her past but nothing like this, not the way he did it, not the way she felt about him. _How did this happen_? 

"Jyn, stop," he growled as they came up for air an eternity later, even though he'd started it. He drew away slightly and ran his mouth along her jaw instead. His jaw, only roughly shaven, was abrasive on her skin, but she relished it. He stopped doing that even, breathing heavily in her ear. "I have rack mates. They'll come back any time. You have no idea how much I wish they weren't."

She remembered to breathe. The room swam back into focus. Their situation crashed her back to reality. She couldn't speak immediately and her lips felt swollen. She was shaking slightly from her need for him, something she had completely been blind-sided by. He seemed equally shaken, closing his eyes to calm down as he pressed her head to his chin.

"I do want to come back," he was saying, taking a deep breath. "I want the mission to succeed, I want to resign my commission and then afterwards I want to know you. I want to have a different life. Is that enough? Do you believe me now?"

He had never been so open with her, apart perhaps from Ashon II after about five drinks. She had to work her jaw a few times before words actually came out. "You were very convincing, Captain Andor."

He laughed. It was a new thing for her to see. There was a lightness to him that wasn't there before, and that, even more than his kiss, convinced Jyn.

"I don't usually do this, Jyn Erso. It's... new to me. I'm sorry if that was a bit too much."

"I'm not sorry." She was startled at her own honesty this time. Cassian smiled. "Whatever happens, I'm glad you're with me. All the way."

"All the way," he repeated. He held onto her a little longer then let her go. "You better go now while I still have some sense. I'll see you in the morning."

She nodded. They couldn't say or do any more, he was right. She smiled one last time to him, then let herself out the door and made her way back to the mess before she was tempted to do anything else with Cassian Andor. Maybe it was the fact that they were going on a barely-not suicidal mission that drove them both to each other like this, but right now she didn't care.

After Scarif they would have all the time in the galaxy to figure out if what they felt was real. But first, they had a job to do.

 

* * *

 

Cassian drank his third cup of coffee, hoping that - plus plain old adrenalin - was enough to see him through the morning. He hadn't slept. How could he? He'd done the most insane thing in his life and didn't regret a second of it. The emotions following Jyn's departure from his room were overwhelming and it had taken him all night to work through them.

She'd been right about him, to start with. He hadn't even realised it. The things he'd done that he regretted - and there were a depressingly high number of them - had been dragging him slowly under. He drank heavily after every mission, but nothing would make him feel better. Wedge and Draven had started to ask questions. In this respect, he was not much different than some of the other volunteers in their motley crew. So he understood the feeling that a mission like this, where the chances of survival were fairly bleak but the payoff should they succeed would make them legends and perhaps erase their sins, appealed greatly. Either way, the outcome suited them.

But Jyn had come into the picture. Jyn, with her unshakable sense of doing what was right, and her inability to take no for an answer. Jyn, who would probably never do anything morally objectionable even for the greater good. She probably didn't realise it, but she was a born leader with natural charisma. She had inspired Cassian to take control of his life back _and_ fight the good fight. She'd managed to inspire them all to follow her without so much as any actual physical proof of what she knew, and she hadn't even needed to try very hard. 

He was in awe of her. She may as well have physically hit him over the head with her baton and right hook. Everything she did or said, he realised, was burned in his memory. He noticed everything about her, the way she moved, the way she spoke, the way she got back up every time she was beat down. He thought it had been the observant spy in him, but now he realised it was much, much more than that. No one had ever made him feel like this and it amazed him that she seemed to feel something for him too. Or at least, hadn't outright rejected him even when he'd kissed her like a beast starved for years. He had never, ever, been so open about his feelings with anyone else - he still felt ridiculous thinking back to what he had said to her. 

Cassian wasn't naive enough to call it love. But it could be. It felt like it could be, given time.

He thought back to the previous night, the feel of her so close to him, their messy embrace. She had seemed just as enthusiastic as he was. Again, he marveled at that. He had kissed other women of course, had had relationships both real and fake, but it still amazed him that someone else would be attracted to him without either wanting something from him or being manipulated by him. It wasn't a confidence problem - Cassian knew he was difficult, knew he could be abrasive and closed off. Certain women thrived off that (not that sort that stuck around for long) and others had dumped him and told him so. But no woman was like Jyn. She had already seen him almost at his worst. He had no idea what possibly drew her to him and he was actually a little scared she might change her mind.

"You done there, Andor?"

Cassian started, badly, spilling the rest of his coffee. He realised he'd just been standing there like an idiot in front of the coffee droid. Wedge Antilles was behind him, grinning.

"Wedge. Good morning." Cassian tried to sound casual. It was 0500 - he'd forgotten the pilots liked to get up early.

"Up early. You look lost."

"Yeah, couldn't sleep."

"I heard about the mission. Sounded bad." Wedge looked sympathetic. Cassian wanted to get away but owed the pilot the courtesy of a conversation. Wedge had been his sounding board after many a bad mission. He knew he genuinely cared about Cassian's mental well being.

"I just saw a city wiped off the face of a planet," Cassian said. He tried to look angry. It was hard switching from thinking about Jyn to thinking about Jedha.

"We have to do something. I can't believe the Cabinet voted against Jyn Erso's plan," Wedge said, frustrated. Word got around base quickly. "It almost makes me want to go myself. But that would be suicide."

"Yeah."

It took all his espionage skills not to reveal any facial tick at Wedge's words. He had considered asking Wedge to come with them, he couldn't pick anyone more brave. But their mission, as Wedge said himself, was suicidal. _Almost_ , Cassian corrected himself. They had surprise on their side and that might be enough. But still, he didn't want to risk Wedge's life on a shot this long. The X-wing squadron leader was straight as an arrow. To go on a mission like this, you almost needed people who had nothing left to lose, and the Rebellion still needed people like Wedge if this mission went south.

Ironic, since Jyn had specifically made sure Cassian had something to lose before she would allow him to go. _Well, she wanted you to want to come back_. _Think positive._

"I need to go," Cassian said. "Draven wants a debrief this morning and I haven't finished the report."

"Right." Wedge scrutinised him carefully. "Everything OK?"

"Yes. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried. But I am. You seem different."

"I'm fine." He tried to smile to reassure the other man, but that only seemed to make him more suspicious. _Right, I don't smile_.

"If you ever need to talk. There's always my rack room and my moonshine after shifts."

"I'm fine, really. Thanks Wedge. I'll talk to you later."

Cassian turned and left quickly. He realised if the Scarif mission went badly, he would never be able to talk to Wedge, never be able to explain what had happened. It was a morose thought, but when he remembered the destruction of Jedha City and the looming evil of the Death Star, he knew they were doing the right thing.

It was almost time. He wasn't sure how he was going to face Jyn after the last night without giving away all his emotions to everyone on the ship, but his feelings were also so insignificant in comparison to what they were about to do. _Treat it like any other mission. Get ready. Study the plan. Execute._

He hoisted his duffel onto his shoulder, checked all his weapons were present and accounted for.

He was ready. Time to find Kaytoo.


	6. Scarif

They met openly on the tarmac of Hanger Five. Cassian had chosen this time as he knew it was the busiest time of the day when crews would take advantage of the atmospheric winds to clear the moon more quickly. Pilots, crew, and passengers milled all about the tarmac in varying levels of urgency. Their little band of misfits shouldn't be looked at twice, that is, until they attempted to take off. But that was Bodhi and Kaytoo's problem.

Jyn, Bodhi, Chirrut and Baze were already there as Cassian strode over with Kaytoo, along with most of the other volunteers. He met Jyn's eyes briefly but otherwise was pleased and slightly disappointed that they both kept things completely professional. The mission had to be priority.

"Get on the ship," he said. "Let's not look like we're lurking in large numbers. We'll give everyone else ten minutes, then we leave. I'll wait out here for everyone else."

Their stolen Imperial shuttle stood not too far away on the tarmac. As the others made their way over in staggered groups so as not to draw too much suspicion, Jyn stole back to stand with Cassian. She didn't look at him, staring ahead at nothing in particular, her arms crossed over her chest tensely.

"Are you ready?" she said, after a while.

"As much as I'll ever be."

She didn't say anything for a few moments. Then, "I think Chirrut might suspect something."

Cassian couldn't help smiling to himself. "Suspect what?"

He sensed her discomfort at having to name whatever it is going on between them. He enjoyed it, actually. Jyn Erso was usually so unflappable it was fun to see her squirm a little.

"Us," she said, under her breath, finally. They stole a quick glance at each other. "I think he suspects something going on with us."

"I hate to tell you, Jyn, but he may be right."

It was she this time who couldn't contain a quick smile. He wanted to kiss her again so badly. He didn't even care if Chirrut knew, if they all knew. For the first time, he felt a tinge of fear and apprehension about the mission. He'd been on hundreds of missions. He'd felt excitement, boredom and antipathy towards all of them, but it had been a long time since he felt actual fear of not returning. He'd never had something to look forward to beyond the next mission, if he was honest with himself. Now he had, and it made him feel weak. _Or a stronger,_  he reminded himself. _One who wants to live to fight again_.

"We'll be back," he said now. "Or if not, it is worth the risk. We have to remember that."

She nodded. She was quiet for a few more moments as a few more volunteers straggled past them. Then she blurted, "I just - I just wish we had more time."

"Stay positive, Erso. We will have that time."

Cassian sounded a lot more confident than he felt. If he was completely honest with himself, this mission was an incredibly long shot. But they had to try. It was more important than them.

There was nothing more they could say and nothing they could do with so many eyes on them. They were silent as they waited for the last volunteers to trundle past them and onto the shuttle, before heading aboard themselves, Jyn taking the lead and striding across the tarmac as if she commanded it.

She surveyed the faces staring out from the shuttle cargo hold as she strode aboard. From behind, Cassian could see the tension in her neck as everyone looked at her expectantly, waiting for some kind of pep talk. Even from the short amount of time he'd known her, he knew a long motivational speech wasn't something that came easily to her. Instead, she opted for something short and yet completely perfect.

"May the Force be with us all," she said, as the shuttle door closed behind them.

 

* * *

 

_THE EVENTS OF SCARIF HAPPEN HERE. CASSIAN, KAYTOO AND JYN INFILTRATE THE CITADEL FOR THE DEATH STAR PLANS AS EVERYONE ELSE MAKES A STAND AND CREATES A DIVERSION OUTSIDE. TRAGICALLY, KAYTOO, BODHI, CHIRRUT AND BAZE - ALONGSIDE EVERYONE ELSE ON THE CREW OF ROGUE ONE - APPEAR TO PERISH ONE AFTER ANOTHER IN THE FIGHT. CASSIAN IS SERIOUSLY INJURED FALLING SEVERAL STORIES WHILE JYN MAKES IT TO THE TRANSMITTER ON TOP OF THE CITADEL WITH THE PLANS. BUT AS SHE REALIGNS THE TRANSMITTER AND HEADS BACK TO THE CONSOLE TO SEND THE PLANS, SHE IS STOPPED BY ORSON KRENNIC._

 

* * *

 

Jyn couldn't believe what she was seeing. Krennic, the murderer of her family, stood in her way, the last thing she had to do before saving the galaxy was no longer her responsibility. He looked so much older, so much sharper than she remembered him as, as a child. It was as if age and experience, ambition and backstabbing, had filed all his features into a point. He very clearly did not recognise her.

"Who are you?" he called out, pointing his blaster at her. She was unarmed. She couldn't do anything.

"You know who I am. I'm Jyn Erso, daughter of Galen and Lyra. You've lost." It was fake bravado, but she had to stall him as long as she could. _Why? No one is coming_. No, something could happen... she just had to buy enough chances to give anything to happen. Their entire mission had been propelled on this philosophy.

Krennic looked a little stunned with recognition as soon as she said her first name. A brief flash of regret crossed his face before it hardened.

"Oh I have, have I?"

"My father's revenge. He built a flaw in the Death Star. He put a fuse in the middle of your machine and I've just told the entire galaxy how to light it."

It was a blatant lie that Krennic saw through instantly. He snarled, all trace of any compassion gone. "The shield is up, your signal will never reach the rebel base. All your ships in here will be destroyed. I lose nothing but time. You on the other hand die with the Rebellion."

A million thoughts and emotions surged through her as she braced herself, staring unflinchingly at Krennic, the murderer of her father and mother, and now, her. Her failure to complete the mission burned the hardest, following closely by anger at this monster successfully killing off her entire family, then, more sadly, by deep regret that she wasn't with Cassian. It didn't feel like it was supposed to end this way.

A blaster shot rang out and she involuntarily flinched, flinging her arms over head as if that would protect her, but she realised a split second later she was still standing. Krennic had fallen in a heap, his shoulder still smoking from a blaster shot. She hardly dared to hope, but as she looked over to where the shot had come from, she saw the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen.

Cassian was standing by the console, propped up on a column, his blaster in his shaking hands. He could barely stand up straight, let alone shoot straight which was why Krennic was still alive, but it had been enough. He smiled weakly at her. She had no idea how he'd managed to climb all the way to the top of the tower with his injuries, but she thanked the Force he had. He'd saved her again.

But there was no time for him - yet. Jyn ran over to the computer console under the transmitter and slammed the lever down to transmit the Death Star plans. As she watched the progress bar on the screen confirm the transmission taking place, she felt a flood of relief. It was done. Their part was done. It was up to someone out there to listen now, they had done all that they could.

She fumbled over to Cassian, her gut twisting as she now took in the extent of his injuries. She couldn't see properly, but by the way he was leaning against the column and his limp leg, he'd definitely done some serious damage to his leg and back. One arm hung limp as well, she wouldn't be surprised if that was broken. And yet he still had his blaster trained on Krennic, even though he must be in tremendous pain.

She looked over at Krennic. He hadn't moved yet, but the slight movement of his chest showed he was still alive. Rage flooded her - this man had taken everything from her, everything in her life she'd held dear. He'd destroyed it, changed the path of her life so that it had been hardship after hardship. He had destroyed her father and his life's work. He had killed her mother in cold blood. She wanted to take him apart, wanted to kill him with her own hands.

"Hey, leave it, leave it," Cassian said in her ear as she tried to lurch forward towards Krennic with a strangled cry. He slid his good arm around her and held her tight. "That's it. Let's go."

His presence brought her back, as always calming her down. She didn't think he knew her personal history with Krennic, but it didn't matter. She knew he was right, they had to leave if they had any chance of making it off Scarif. Krennic wasn't worth it. This tower was about to become a target once they worked out what she'd done. She nodded, grimly, and took Cassian's arm around her, supporting him as they hobbled towards the elevator to take them down to the ground. She had done something to her leg as well, she realised. Both of them were hobbling now.

"Do you think anyone's listening?" Cassian was saying.

"Someone is listening." Jyn was certain of it. It wasn't just hope that made her say it. She felt complete certainty that someone had received the transmission, the way Chirrut was so sure about things. Her kyber crystal burned on her chest.

They tumbled into the elevator as it opened, Cassian collapsed against the wall. Jyn stood right beside him as she hit the controls down, so close she felt his breath on her face. She felt like she was in a dream as she stared up into his dark eyes and the lift began to move. She saw such tenderness and calmness in his face as he looked back on her that she suddenly felt apprehensive.

"Cassian," she whispered. "Have you spoken to Bodhi or any of the others?"

He hesitated to respond, and she knew instantly they were gone. "I haven't been able to reach anyone in a while."

"We're alone?"

"I think so." Cassian didn't hide the fact or mince words with her, and she loved him for it. He seemed resigned to the fact that they had reached the end of their story.

"There has to be a way off," she said, grabbing his hand and gripping it tightly. "Stay positive, Andor."

Cassian didn't say anything now, still looking intensely into her eyes. "It doesn't matter to me right now." He leaned forward to kiss her slowly, almost sweetly, so different to the desperate kiss the night before. She took her time this time, savouring his taste, even the metallic taste of blood and dirt in his mouth. She felt calmer. If this was the end for both of them, so be it. If this was simply the desperate kiss of two people about to die, she didn't care. She didn't want to be anywhere else in the galaxy.

When the elevator door opened and the sunlight flooded in, she expected to see a platoon of stormtroopers, ready to blast them to pieces. But what she saw was fittingly worse.

The looming shadow of the Death Star rose above the horizon like a terrifying moon. Jyn knew exactly what it was there to do.

There was no escape.

 

* * *

 

They saw the tower of fire reach the surface of the planet in the not-so-far distance as they hobbled together towards the nearest beach. Cassian didn't know why they had instinctively headed for a beach, but it seemed a more appropriate place to die than an Imperial airfield. The others were all silent - he could only presume they were all dead. Bodhi, Chirrut, Baze, Kaytoo... all gone. The compound was eerily quiet as they made their way through it. No stormtroopers. No rebels.

Even with Jyn's help, moving was becoming too painful for Cassian. He collapsed on his knees as soon as they reached a bit of sand, clutching his useless arm. He hadn't bothered cataloging his injuries and it seemed even more pointless now. He just knew he was about to die and he wasn't going to be moving any further when death came.

Jyn sat heavily down next to him, staring off at the fire in the distance, which was now surging towards them. She was past being afraid of death, he could see. Like him, she'd accepted her fate, but staring it in the face still made her nervous.

She clutched his hand tightly. "I'm glad you came."

 _I'm glad you're with me now_ , was her unspoken thought. He wasn't afraid or nervous as he looked upon her face. They had succeeded in their mission, they had given the Rebellion everything and a bit of hope. It was more than he could ask for on his epitaph, and he was here with Jyn, who'd given him this chance to be more than what he was before he met her. It was better than any end scenario he'd ever imagined for himself. 

"Your father would have been proud of you, Jyn," he said.

She gave him a small smile, nodding appreciatively. The horizon of fire was now gathering speed towards them, obliterating everything in its path. They had a minute now, or less. She grabbed him first in a tight embrace, not caring if it crushed any more of his broken ribs. He didn't complain.

"Cassian," she said, in his ear, desperately. But she didn't know what else to say.

"I know."

He squeezed his eyes tight, focusing instead on the warm body he was clutching for dear life. He focused on her natural scent under the leftover burnt scent of battle, the quick rhythm of her heartbeat, the softness of her hair even all mussed up.

He was relaxing to her warm breath on his ear when the fire overtook them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoping to write an AU continuation of this version of events. I have some ideas knocking about my head - just need the time. Thanks for reading :)


End file.
